Flow responsive device



2 Sheets-Shqet 1 H. E. SOMES ET'AL FLOW RESPONSIVE DEVICE Filed May 27, 1942 I Sept. 26, 1944.

S. .R m m m HowardBSomes & George [ZTme n A TTORNE Y P 1944- H. E. SOMES ETALV 2,359,168

FLOW RESPONSIVE DEVICE Filed May 27, 1942 2 Shcs-Sheet 2 mi U V INVENTORS +1oux1rd 5.3011225 &

George R.True

BY 0? 7W "@TTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1944 FLOW BESPONSIVE DEVICE Howard E. Bones and George R. 'l rue, Detroit,

Micla, asaignors to Budd Induction Heating, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Michigan . Application May 21, 194i, Serial No. 444,662 Claims. (c1. zoo-sis) This invention relates to actuating mechanisms for operating or controlling the'operation oi various types or devices in accordance with the flow oi a'iiuid. It has been especially developed for use in the heat-treating of metals by electromagnetic induction heating and subsequent quenching, where the application of. a heating current and the. flow oi a coolant for cooling the current carrying conductors, quenching a heated article, or the like, must be accurately coordinated and controlled.

Accordingly, the invention is herein shown and described. as used for controlling and operating an electric switch, but it will be understood iromv the following description that t is susceptibleota far more general application in the art.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, dependable pressure responsive mechanism for controll g the operation of a device such, for example, as an electric'switch.

A further object is to provide a mechanism for use in the heat treating ofmetals by electromagnetic induction heating and then quenching,

constructed and arranged to control the electric heating circuit in accordance with the flow oi coolant.

These and other objects which will be apparent Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in open circuit position;

terial. A stationary contact I2 is mounted in the panel and connected by a bus l3 to a terminal H. A movable contact l5 is mounted on and electrically connected to a contact supporting plate it having a pair of arms ll pivoted for rocking movement on a pin it supported in opposite flanges-l8 of a supporting bracket secured to the panel H. A horseshoe magnet 22 and a magnet plate 23 secured to thecontacting supporting plate l6 are provided for snapping the contacts closed. I

' The arms ll are normally biased into circuit closing position by coil spring 24 located between the pivoted contact bar. and the panel II, the

spring being positioned around a current conducting pin 25 electrically connected to the arms I! by a flat spring member 26 secured thereto and yieldingly engaging the end of the conduct- .ing pin.

form of a stem 28 extending upwardly from a rocker 3| pivoted'between the bracket flanges i9 4 on a supporting pin 32 and having a. ledge 33 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the electric Q switch, the switch casing being broken away;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the switch supporting panel member. with parts removed; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing conduit for shitting the actuating member of t such a device as an electricswitch to owner close the switch in. accordance with ditions within the conduit. Y

As illustrated, the invention is shown in con 7 nection with an electric switching mechanism iocatedwithin a switch housing II on .a support- I in panel II or any suitable non-conductire 'ma- It isto be understood that the above described switch mechanism is simply one example of a device capable of being controlled by the present invention and forms no part of the invention.

As illustrated, the present invention comprises a mechanism for operating-the switch and so controlling .the associated electric heating circuit in accordance with and in response to conditions of flow in an associated conduit 4| which in the present disclosure is adapted to convey a suitable coolant .42 for cooling the heating, equipment, such as for example, theheatilng coils.

transformer coils, capacitors and the'like. The conduit is provided with a flow orifice 43.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the switch casing is extended upwardly and forms a cylindrical bore 44 having a central internal flange 45 phere is provided in each end of the cylinder casing adiacentthe respective piston heads 41, 48 and the separate pressure chambers are each pressure tight except that they are connected by on opposite sides of nected to the pressure chamber through the plug 58.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plunger is biased to the left by a coil spring 59 which bears at one end against the piston head 41 and at the other end seats in a spring retaining cup 50 frictionally mounted in the central ridge 45 within the cylinder.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the arrangement is such that under conditions of normal flow. of coolantthrough the conduit 4| in the direction oi! the arrow the switch is maintained by the differential pressures in the two pressure chambers in circuit closing position, see Figure 1, against the pressure of the spring 59. When flow through the conduit is stopped so that pressure on the right of the orifice 43 approximately equals that on the left of the orifice 43, it will be apparent that the pressure in the two pressure chambers and opposite ends of the piston become substantially equal. Under this condition the spring 59 shifts the piston to theleft to the position shown in Figure 2. This, in turn, causes the switch operating stem 29 to move to the left moving the rocker 3| to raise the ledge 33 and lift the movable contact l away from the stationary contact |2 to break the associated electrical circuit, as shown in Figure 2. Obviously, if for any reason, the pressure at the left of the orifice 43 in the conduit 4| is reduced below-normal during normal flow conditions the same operation will be effected.

When an arrangement is desired in which the switch is maintained open during normal fiow through the conduit 4|, the parts are relatively reversed as shown in Figure 5. This reversal of parts is accomplished by removing the retaining plugs 58, rings 55, and diaphragms 54 whereupon the plunger stems 49 and 50 can be unthreaded and the heads 41 and 48, spring 59 andretaining'cup 60 removed and then reassembled in the reversed positions shown in Figure 5.

Under these conditions, with the normal flow of 'coola'ntin the direction of the arrow, and with receiving sufficient pressure to maintain the plunger in the position illustrated in Figure 5 end of the cylinder so as to compress the spring with a definite purpose, it will be apparent that the invention can be applied to other uses and can be variously modified and adapted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a, mechanism havin an operating member movable into operative and against spring pressure, in which the switch,-

stem 29 has been shifted to the left and the movable contact |5 raised to break the circuit. When flow through the conduit is stopped so that pressure on the left of the orifice 43 approximately inoperative positions, of'means for controlling said member including a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein for moving said member and having a head at each end of said cylinder, means for separately connecting said heads together, a fluid conveying conduit provided with a flow orifice, pressure transmitting means for transmitting fluid pressure from said conduit on one side of said orifice to one plunger head and from the other side of said orifice to the other plunger head, a spring for yieldingly pressing said plunger toward one end of said cylinder, and a reversible support for said spring whereby said spring can be positioned to press said plunger in either direction. 4

2. The combination with amechanism having an operating member movable into operative and inoperative positions, of means for controlling said member including a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein for moving said member and having a head at each end of said cylinder, means for separably connecting said heads together, a fluid conveying conduit provided with a flow orifice, pressure transmitting means for transmitting fluid pressure from said conduit. on one side of said orifice to:one plunger head and from the other side of said orifice to the other plunger head, a spring for yieldingly pressing said plunger toward one end of said cylinder, a spring retaining cup, and means for supporting said cup in said cylinder to permit reversal thereof whereby said spring can be positioned to press said plunger in either direction.

3. The combination with a mechanism having an operating member movable into operative and inoperative positions, of means for controlling said member including a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein formoving said member and having a head at each end or said cylinder, means for separably connecting said heads together, a fluid conveying conduit provided with a flow orifice, pressure transmitting means for transmitting fluid pressure from said conduit on one side of said orifice to one plunger head. and from the other side of said orifice to the other plunger head, a spring for yieldingly pressing said plung er toward one end of said cylinder, 9. spring retaining cup, and a cup supporting flange centrally located within said cylinder adapted to permit the position of said. cup andspring to be reversed relatively to said cylinder to press said plunger equals that on the right, pressures in the two pressure chambers are substantially equalized and the spring 59 shifts the plunger to the right 7 allowing the switch spring 24 ;to shift the movable contact into circuit closing position.

' opposite to the direction of flow through the associated conduit and that normal flow conditions mined flow characteristics in said conduit for are employed to move the plunger toward the selectively in either direction. I

4. The combination with a switching device having-an operating member movable from one position to another, of means for controlling the position of said member including a fluid conveying conduit, a reciprocable plunger connected to said operating member, means for yieldingly pressing said plunger to hold said member in one position, and means responsive to predetermoving said plunger against said yielding means comprising a reciprocable plunger for moving said operating member to said second positionand, having a spring abutment. a support for guiding said plunger and having a spring stop, a

compression spring between said spring abutment and spring stop for urging said plunger in one directionfa pair of expansible fluid chambers connected with said conduit at opposite sides of said orifice, said plunger being reciprocably actuated in response to the diflerential pressures in 10 said chambers, said spring stop and spring being reversible relative to said support to resiliently urge said plunger in the opposite direction. 7

HOW E. SOMES.

GEORGE R. TRUE. 

